Gearless differential



' A. F. FORD.

GEARLESS DIFFERENTIAL.

APPLICATION FILED- SEPT. 8, I9I9.

1,336,950.' Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

. INVENTOR d @II /7/I/2/PfI/1//fA FORD 0 v W BY y I- f J W km 6 f/IHFIFIIIIIFM o A TTOR NET!" UNED STATES PATENT' cierren.

ANDRW F. FORD, OIF PORTLANE, OREGON.

eEARLEss DIFrERENTraL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. f3, i926.

Application filed September 8, 1919. Serial No. 322,336.

To all whom t may Concern:

Be it hereby known that I, ANDREW F.

FORD, a citizen of the United States, resid.

in which Figure l(v is a pla of the device with the housing and parts of the differential broken away to expose the parts; Fig. 2 is a section along the .line 2 2 in Fig. 1 showing the differentiating members of one section of the device in a racing position; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 in Fig. l and shows the corresponding parts to those shown in Fig. 2 in a driving position; Fi-g. 4 isa detailed elevation of a cage for the differentiating members and its drive gear; Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation.- of a double three faced cani member of which Fig. 6 is a front elevation; Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective of the wedging members; Fig.

8 is a view similar to Fig. 3' exceptthat I show rollers used as wedging members instea'd of Aparts shaped similar to the one shown in Fig. 7.l t

Similar letters and numbersof reference refer to the same or similarparts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to they drawing. -L1 is- A the left rear wheel of an automobile of whichL2 is its live shaft and L3 a differenl tial case secured to the shaft L2.

tri-centric interior of the differential case L3 which is constructed of three equal arcs L4 is the whose radii are somewhat-,smaller than those of the smallest diameter of the difter-l ential casing L3. L5 is a hub'formed inside of the differential case`L3 in of the shaft L2.

R1 is the right rear wheel mounted on the live vshaft R2, on the inner'end of` which is` secured the double three lobed` cam R3 whose lobes It? are equal arcs struck from the same centers as are the arcs which formi` prolongation the inside of the differential casing L3. The recess R5 in the cam R3 is adapted to receive the hub L5 and center the cam R3.

H1 is a housing .adapted to journal the shaft L2 and carry the bevel drive pinion H3: H3 is a cover plate for the side of the housing H1 which journals the shaft R73.

C1 is a differential cage arranged to rotate Abetween the cam member and the diderential case L3 and having the slots C3-which are adapted to contain the wedge blocks C3, the outer sides of which arel curved at C4. C5 is a bevel gear attached to the cage C1.. Cs is a roller form of wedge blocks which I have illustrated as a modification of my device in Fig. 8.

The operation of my device is as follows. In driving in a straight line it is evident that both of the wheels L1 and R1 will ro-y tate at the same speed and they receive their rotation from the pinion H2 which drives the gear C5 to which is attached the cage C1 and its wedge blocks C3. It 'follows that the wedge blocks C3 can-race around the aXis 'o'f the dierential only when the members R3 and L3 are in the position shown in Fig. 2, but that it is impossible for the wedge blocks C3. in both sets to race at the same time, inasmuch as they are offset from each other and one set will always be' in the positionshown in Fig. 3, which is a driving position, inasmuch as the wedge blocks 'C3 cannot pass the narrow opening between the projection on the surface L4 and the cam lobes R4.. the relative position of the cam lobe RL and the projection on the surface L4 as shown in Fig. 3 is changed to that occupied i by the similar parts in Fig. 2,' it follows that the wedge blocks C3 may pass and the wheels allowed to differentiate. Y

One of the most vital points of advantage in my device is the absoluteV impossibility of spinning on the part of either wheel dueto the fact that the power which is being supplied is utilized by bothl of the wheels in.-

-steadcfone, as is common in differentials` nowlnuse.

. In F ig. f 8 I haveillustrated my device' with the use of balls or rollers which will differentiate equally as well as the formA .shown in Fig. 7 but this form does not posi the wedgeA Sess the gripping qualities of blocks- C3, whose shape permits them to roll into position, giving a tremendous friction power.

If, for any reason,

.I have illustrated and described'my device with the three lobed cam and a three sided differential casing, but it is plain that this number and shape may be varied without departing from the spirit of my inven- .tiong in fact'it is possible to reverse thel either of the cams lR3 would find thecam lobe R4 and the high point on the 'surface L4 nearly midway between the pairs 0f.

wedge blocks C?. The difference shown on the drawing would result in back lash, which would be undesirable in practice, and

as 'amatter of fact back lash is one of the undesirable points entirely eliminated' in i internal surface formed by three equal arcs,l

a double three lobed cam rotatablymounted my device. 1

While I have thus described and illustrated my device it is not-my intention to limit myself to this precise form or method of application, but intend that it shall cover all forms and modifications that fall fairly within the appended claims.

Vhat I claim as new :and

,cesses adapted lto contain thevarious wedges, anda means for rotatingv said cage.- 2. Al gearless .differential consisting of a lcylindrical member attached to one live axle of` an' automobile, said member having lits desire to pro'- tect by Letters Patent of the United States,

internal surface formed by three arcs struck from three equi-distant points, a double three lobed cam member attached to the other live axle and having the lobes on one -cam set midway between those 'of the other cam, the lobes of each cam having a form which with the cylindrical member can form a path of uniform width around said cylinder, a plurality of wedge members hav-v mg approximatelythe shape of a cube, one side of which is curved, arranged equi-disvtantly around said path, a cage adapted'to 3. Ina gearless differential, the combina? tion of a cylinder mounted on a live axle of an automobile, said cylinder having its within said cylinder andcenteredb therein,

the lobes of one cam having a position midway between'those of the other lcam, both cams being rigidly secured to the second live axle in a manner" that in three different positions of eachcam member a path is formed i between said cam and saidcylinder, two sets of wedge members arranged ecpii-distantly around-said path, said wedge members having one curved side and their remaining sides are at right angles to each other, a

other, a `bevel gear secured lto said; cage and adapted to rotate same, a bevel pinion mesh.

ing with said gear, and a housing adapted `to contain the various vparts and maintain their relation. e

` ANDREW'- FORD. 

